Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Words from Sister Abbigail Waite in Texas

This last week made me very grateful for a car. I have such respect for the Elders and Sisters who do the Lord's work by bike or on foot every day. Our area is big and spread out that we had to make sure not to schedule things without at least 30 minutes in between or we'd be late! Couple that with a lot of cancelled lessons or no-shows and you have a pretty long week! Thankfully, we have great members to get us place to place and an awesome district who took some time out of their own busy missionary schedules to help us out when members couldn't. Especially after dark and in the rain!

Happily, after 10 days of walking (biking in skirts, wind, and rain proved to be very difficult), riding the bus (once, and probably never again. Sister Gagon got really bus sick), and begging for rides... Kevin is back! Our beautiful car!! Oh how we love Kevin. :)

In the midst of all this, we managed to find three people who want to be baptized! Well... they found us. We're hoping to help them work to a baptism in early April or late March. We're so excited for them! We had a sweet lesson with Rosemary about the Holy Ghost that I wish I could say that we planned or could even remember, but it was led by the Spirit and that's how the work should go. I was able to share my favorite scripture (or one of many) with her. John 14:27. I had "mysteriously" come across it that morning during personal study, but used it 3 times with 3 different people. I pray every morning to be led in study to find what I'll need that day and it is answered every day.

We also made s'mores over out stove before Sister Johnston was transferred on Thursday. I can safely say I've never done that before... but I'd certainly do it again! :) ... And we had a little Texas visitor the other day... Apparently there's a man in our stake who makes earrings out of them... So stay tuned for some super cute cockroach earrings! Haha! :)

Last week I made a goal to reread Joseph Smith History and memorize his entire experience and not just the two verses in the Restoration pamphlet. It's really been a blessing for me! The First Vision has always been my favorite story from church history; every time I am able to talk or read about it, I feel my testimony grow stronger. A couple summers ago, I had the opportunity to visit the Sacred Grove. I was able to find a quiet place to sit and ponder. I read Joseph's own account of his experience while listening to the gentle rain on the leaves above me. I softly hummed "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" and watched light dance in gorgeous patterns on the ground. I asked again- as I had done many times before- if Joseph had really seen and experienced the things he said he did. As I sat in quiet marvel, I began to feel the quiet stirrings of the Spirit in my heart. Again, though, it was only a quiet confirmation of things I already knew. I had already done the same things that Joseph had done-scripture study and prayer-and I had received my own testimony long before my visit to the Grove. However, just as is always true, the Lord answered when I knocked, letting me know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. Through him, the Lord restored His gospel and His church to the earth. Joseph translated the Book of Mormon, which serves as another testament of Jesus Christ and will only strengthen the faith and testimony you already have of the Savior. I echo the words of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's great-grandfather "No wicked man could write such a book as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so."